A reporter’s access to the scene of a newsworthy event usually depends on the type of property -- public, private, or "nonpublic" government property -- to which access is sought. Public property restrictions are generally limited to reasonable time, place and manner regulations, while private property owners have much more control over access.
Reporters don't have a greater right of access to prisoners than the general public. Police often allow journalists to obtain credentials to cover crime and disaster scenes. There are also often limits on access to public buildings and election polling places.
Private property access comes down to the issue of consent. Some states treat access to large shopping malls as more like public forums, even though they are privately owned.
Journalists should know what to do when they are denied access, and might consider remedies for denials in some cases.
